Teaching Tips

Speaking Japanese Perapera or Berabera? – Systematic Exposure to Japanese Onomatope for Learners of Japanese as an Additional Language

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Abstract

Approximately 400-700 onomatopoeic words are commonly used in daily Japanese conversation in child-directed speech, manga, discussion of physical/emotional states, etc., making them crucial to speaking Japanese proficiently. Japanese onomatope (i.e., onomatopoeia, mimetics) mimic voices (animals, humans) or inanimate sounds, or describe states, appearances, movements, emotions, etc. Japanese onomatope vary from other native Japanese words with their unique phonological forms while their pitch-accent patterns may differ by syntactic role. These phonological forms and the sound-to-meaning associations of Japanese onomatope offer an opportunity for learners of Japanese as an Additional Language (JAL) to practice their pronunciation of Japanese. However, Japanese onomatope are generally not taught to L2 learners. In response, guided systematic exposure is advocated along with the integration of pronunciation lessons into the learning of onomatope. Instructors explicitly discuss onomatopoeic/mimetic usage, forms, and sound associations while referencing examples in cultural artifacts (e.g., illustrated children’s books, haiku, manga, anime). Harnessing recording and online technology, lessons reinforce learning through scaffolding exercises (choosing correct forms/sound associations, conversations, intensive/extensive reading), and pragmatic-focused task-based learning where socially-expected onomatope enable successful real-world task completion (e.g., doctor’s office).

Keywords: onomatopoeia, mimetics, sound associations, teaching Japanese pronunciation, systematic exposure

How to Cite:

Schaefer, V., & Machida, K. (2025). Speaking Japanese perapera or berabera? Systematic exposure to Japanese onomatope for learners of Japanese as an additional language. In J. M. Levis, M. Duris, S. Sonsaat-Hegelheimer, & I. Na (Eds.), Proceedings of the 15th Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Conference (pp. 1-20). Iowa State University, September 2024. https://doi.org/10.31274/psllt.18438